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I know you all thought Matrix and Lex were time travelers… but you were wrong! Lord Hirotomo, with his magic castle (that’s bluer on the inside) is the only time traveler in NN4B. That’s right. He’s a Feudal Time Lord!

I’m so confused right now. Is this Hirotomo opening a room and having a flashback of himself getting his first command?

Hfar

Pretty much, yeah.

http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai

Yes it is. Confusion abated!

Kid Chaos

“Meanwhile, back at the ranch palace…” 😜

IDPounder

If he starts rockin’ a sonic screwdriver instead of a katana, THEN I’ll believe it.

AngryScientist

I think you have a comma issue in the last panel. Here’s what you have:
“Today, my son, Hirotomo, continues this tradition with his first command.”

Here are the two possible interpretations I think are most likely:
“Today, my son Hirotomo continues this tradition with his first command.” (Hirotomo is the son and is continuing the tradition, and the speaker is addressing someone else)
“Today, my son, Hirotomo continues this tradition with his first command.” (The speaker is addressing the son, who is NOT Hirotomo, about Hirotomo)

In each case, you don’t have a comma before “continues” because in each case Hirotomo is the one doing the continuing.

Cortillaen

Incorrect. The sentence is intended as your first interpretation, but the commas are needed for that. There should be a comma after the clause “Today”, of course (forgive me for not remembering the technical term, but it’s where you put a qualifying phrase like “this time”, “naturally”, and “in case of zombies” at the front of a sentence rather than the back; it gets a comma after it when you do this). Next, “Hirotomo” is an addendum to “my son”, which means the name gets bracketed by commas. We usually see this in sentences like “This is my mom, Agnes.” (the second comma is replaced by the period) and “My friend, George, went to the store.”.*

“My son” and “Hirotomo” are two separate designations for the same entity, so they need to be split up. If the old man was using “Son Hirotomo” as a proper noun (like “Aunt Mary”), that would be different. In short, the structure in the comic is correct.

*No, I don’t follow the “end quotes with a comma if it’s in the middle of a sentence” or “if your sentence ends with a quote, put the ending period inside the quotation marks” conventions because they serve only to confuse in situations just like my explanation, and most people don’t care anymore.

http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai

I’m having highscool english flashbacks.

Volker Kleinschmidt

Sorry, but no. “My son Hirotomo” does not get separated, nor would “my son named Hirotomo” get a comma. If you were saying “Hirotomo, my son, continues…” then you would separate it, because “my son” would be an apposition to the name, an inserted description of the subject. But “my son Hirotomo” is an inseparable phrase, there’s no apposition involved. Nor would “my mom Agnes” get a comma, as you are NOT addressing someone named Agnes and presenting your mom to her.

I will grant that, according to those sources, the commas would be technically unneeded if there were other sons. I don’t happen to know if there were. However, given that the son in question is literally right there and clearly the subject of the event, I would argue adding his name to the sentence is unnecessary and qualifies as a non-restrictive appositive. The whole point is that an appositive is restrictive, thus requiring no commas, only if it adds vital information to the sentence. Take out the name, and everyone in the room would still know exactly who was getting a first command.

That said, your statement that “My mom, Agnes” doesn’t need a comma is flatly wrong by your own sources. I suppose there are fringe cases where someone has multiple mothers, but you can hardly claim that was your point.

Volker Kleinschmidt

Heh, you know, I actually did read those sources, and found that they were nitpicking quite a bit. For example in the brother Nathan phrase it is not necessarily obvious to the audience/readership whether you have one brother or several – that knowledge should *not* influence how the sentence is written, so interpreting the rules in the way given in the article is somewhat questionable.

I don’t recall whether Hirotomo is an only son, and whether we were even given that information. If he isn’t, chances are the second son is present too. But again, it should not matter.

In the end this is largely a matter of style. The purpose of commas is to enhance understanding, not to obscure meaning. I continue to believe that the sentence is clearer without the commas, and you’re free to feel otherwise.

Speedy Marsh

This conversation makes me feel like I got hit by a bus, and ended up in a comma. 😉

Time for a stroll down memory lane. And since it’s Hirotomo, I predict nothing but spring flowers and kittens.

http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai

No tragic characters in this silly cartoon samurai comic, last I checked!

Da’Zlein

“Hey dad, where’s the tea?”
“Oh, hey son… We definitely aren’t sending a body double of you off to die for the honor of the family.”
“Whatever, I’ll find it myself”

http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai

OH HO! A bold assumption!

Bladedwind

“Wait, I’m sorry. You’re my OTHER son, HirotomOH. My bad.”

Kid Chaos

Oh, goody, it’s a FLASHBACK! (flashback. flashback flashback…) 😎

charles81

I even see a younger looking Nataku next to the door.

charles81

Ahh, now I remember. There had been a 100 year war going on with the Daisuke. I’m guessing Hirotomo brought it to an end, possibly with the help of Genchu.

Xinef

Nah, I didn’t think Matrix is a time traveller. She’s just connected to that virtual simulation called Neo. Which apparently is simulating feudal Japan but based on popculture rather than historical data. Which makes sense considering the purpose Neo was created… to brainwash everyone to watch anime!

*reconnects himself to Neo*

Speedy Marsh

Or, she’s connected to the Animus, and this is Assassin’s Creed: Japan.

http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai

Unlikely. Ubisoft has gone out of its way many times to say they have no intention of picking that low hanging fruit.

Speedy Marsh

Exactly. Now we know the real reason why. 😉

Xinef

I’d call it Shinobi’s Creed.

Kid Chaos

Or maybe Samurai Scroll? 😎

Xinef

Also, is it just me, or did anyone else have the first impression, when they noticed the building plan in the description, that it must be a plan of the Wataro castle showing where the depicted events are taking place?

… oh the disappointment :c

Sunwu

*back to the future theme song*
The power of War is a curious thing
Make one man weep make another man sing
Make a bird fish spread its wings and soar!
More than a feeling! Thats the Power of War!!!

Sunwu

Dont need Boshido! Dont need Fame! Dont need no Daisuke to betray us again! Its sudden, strange and cruel sometimes!
And it might just end your life!!!
Thats the power of war!!!